Improvement in buffer-heads for car-couplers



^ W. RICKARDS, Jr.

1, i Buffer Head for Car Couplingsi Pa1emed1u1y19, 1870;

- 'Ww-@w will always wear equally on every side.

vPATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM RIcKAR'Ds, JIt.,\oF FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUFFER-HEADS FOR'CAR-COUPLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 105,491, dated July 19, 1870.

To all whom" t't may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM RIcKAItDs, Jr., of Franklin, Venango county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LCombined Spring-Buffers and Self-Couplers; and I hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.

The first part of my invention consists in the construction of the buffer-heads, which consist of 'the head, the stationary collar, which serves as a double stop, an increase,

upon which the weaker spring is placed, and

a shank for the movable collar to slide upon. The second part ofthe invention consists in making the buffer-heads round, so that they can revolve freely in the cylindrical opening of the draw-head, whereby they are made to wear upon all parts of their surface equally.

Figure 1 is a section view of my invention.

. Fig. 2 is an end view of one of my couplers. p Fig. 3'is a side elevation of my buffer-head.

Fig. 4 represents the form and shape of the movable collar which separatesthe two springs.

Letter A represents the draw-heads, which have cylindrical openings enlarged at their front ends, extending through -their centers.

'.lhese openings, in which the buffer-heads play back and forth, are intended to be always circular in shape, so that the buifers Bare the buffers, formed as shown in Fig. 3, having their front ends shaped so as Vto be concave, as seen in Fig. 2, so that wherever the link C may strike them, as the cars come together, it will always be guided to the center ofthe head,

and as these buffers are intended to revolve inv their cylinders, not only will their peripheries, but the concave ends, be'worn equally in every part. At a short distance back of the bufferhead there is formed a stationary collar, d, which is of equal size as the buffer-head, and which, together with the buffer-head, formsr the stops, between which the screw or bolt D acts, so as to prevent the buffer from moving eithertoo far back or forward. This screw or bolt may be placed in from the top, as shown, or may beplaced in the sides, whichever may be desirable. In causing the bu'ers to move back and forth there are two springs usedone of them so light that the force of a single man can move it back, and the second or rear one sufficiently heavy and strong to break the concussion or jar of the cars as they come together. Just back of the stationary collar d there is an enlargement, t', upon the shank of the buffer, smaller than the collar, and over which the front and weaker springmis passed.

This spring is intended to be much weaker than the rear one, so that a man can push theu buffer-head back far enough to enable him to bolt the link to either one of the cars without the trouble of having to move the c ar itself. In the back part of the cylinder of the drawhead A is placed the heavier and stronger one rear end o of the buffer, and which serves to divide the spr-ings from each other.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The link G is attached to one of the drawheads, as shown in Fig. 1, while the bolt of the other coupler is placed in an upright standing position upon the head of the buffer, ready to fall into its position assoon as the link-pushes the buier back upon coming together. When the buffer is shoved inward the strain is first brought to bear upon the weak spring m, which is confined between the stationary collar dand the movable one H. The movable collar, bearing against the re'ar spring n, allows the shank or rear end o of the buffer-head to pass freely back through the opening in its center until it comes against the end of the enlargement t, when all strain upon the front spring at once ceases, and is transferred to the rear and stronger spring n, which prevents all jary rin gV when the cars come together.

By making the draw-heads bell-shaped at their outer ends a free lateral or vertical play is allowed to the link4 C, so that its end may `be raised or lowered or moved to either side,

rethle collar H, to divide the springs m and u arranged and operating, es described, in the drawhead A, all as set forth.

2. The buffer head, with its collar and springs, when mede in cylindrical form, and fitted in el corresponding cavity in the drawhead, es set forth.

WILLIAM RICHARDS, JR.

Witnesses:

T. C. GoNNoLLY, THos. S. MERCER.. 

